Building on Bedrock - The Word becomes Flesh - Response to Chapter 3
The Word Becomes Flesh:
Few moments in all of human history are as awe-inspiring and deeply meaningful as the Incarnation - the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Mark’s third chapter, The Word Becomes Flesh, walks us through the details of Christ’s birth, drawing from the Gospel of Luke and Matthew and engaging in speculation about timing, geography, and the cultural context of Jesus’ early life. Mark seeks to ground his readers in the “historical facts” of Jesus’ nativity, sometimes correcting pious traditions and challenging Catholic devotion. As in previous chapters, his zeal for the truth is admirable. But once again, his presentation, though rich in Scriptural citation, betrays a set of deeper misunderstandings - especially regarding the relationship between tradition and Scripture, the meaning of Christian liturgical practice, and the actual witness of the early Church.
Let us examine Mark’s claims and clarify the true significance of the birth of Christ, not as a matter of mere chronology or custom, but as the heart of the Catholic faith.
1. The Reality of the Incarnation: God Enters Human History
Mark’s narration of the journey to Bethlehem and the humble birth of Christ is both moving and scripturally grounded. He correctly emphasizes the real, historical character of the Incarnation: Jesus was born at a precise time, in a real place, to a specific family, in fulfillment of the promises made to Israel.
Here Mark stands entirely with Catholics: The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), not as a myth or symbol, but as an event anchored in the real world. The divine Person of the Son truly took on human nature, was born of the Virgin Mary, and entered the very fabric of human society. This is not a pious fable but the central fact of Christianity.
Yet, what is the purpose of this real Incarnation? Is it only to provide an example, a story, a perspective or a bare “historical event”? No; the Catholic faith proclaims it is the foundation of our salvation. Christ became man so that we might become sons of God (Galatians 4:4-7), not merely in a legal or symbolic sense, but by truly being incorporated into His Body, the Church, through grace and the sacraments.
2. Speculations and the Question of December 25th
Mark spends a considerable portion of this chapter critiquing the traditional date of December 25th for Christ’s birth, arguing for a springtime nativity, and linking it to various Old Testament festivals and patterns. While his historical curiosity is genuine, it is essential to recognize that the exact date of Christ’s birth is not a matter of doctrine, nor does it affect the substance of the Christian faith. The Church, in her wisdom, has never defined the precise day; rather, she has commemorated the Nativity in her liturgical calendar for reasons both theological and pastoral.
To claim, as Mark does, that celebrating Christmas on December 25th is a late “invention” or “not part of the faith once delivered to the saints,” is to misunderstand both Christian liturgy and the nature of Sacred Tradition. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, has the authority to set feasts and seasons that celebrate the mysteries of Christ’s life - not as arbitrary “additions,” but as ways to make present the realities of salvation history in every age. The Catechism of the Council of Trent is clear: “The celebration of these sacred mysteries was instituted that the faithful might frequently recall the benefits of God.” The liturgical calendar is not a man-made burden but a means for the faithful to enter more deeply into the mysteries of Christ.
Nor should we fall into the error of thinking that something is “unbiblical” merely because it is not explicitly commanded in Scripture. Nowhere in the Scriptures does Jesus or the apostles instruct believers to celebrate a weekly Sunday gathering, yet all Christians do so because it is the very pattern of apostolic faith and worship. The Church, under Christ’s authority, rightly orders her calendar to help us remember and rejoice in the truths of our faith.
3. Tradition, Devotion, and “Superstition”
Mark warns his readers not to “believe all the Roman Catholic superstitious tales about the trip to Egypt,” claiming Catholics “embellish all the Bible stories with fanciful myths.” Here, a distinction must be made; a distinction long upheld by Catholic theologians. The Catholic Church does not bind the faithful to accept pious legends or local traditions as revealed truth; she distinguishes between the dogmas of the faith, which are divinely revealed and necessary for salvation, and popular devotions, which may reflect the love and imagination of the faithful. The Church canonizes neither error nor mere speculation, but encourages that all things be done “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).
It is, in fact, a sign of the Church’s healthy realism that she has always encouraged the faithful to test stories and customs against the deposit of faith. St. Thomas Aquinas, in his great Summa, frequently sifts ancient stories, always returning to what is certain, revealed, and necessary for salvation. Catholic devotion to the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt or other mysteries is not based on credulity, but on the deep conviction that God truly entered every aspect of human life, sanctifying even the smallest moments of the family’s journey.
4. The “Faith Once Delivered” and the Life of the Church
Mark seems to operate under the assumption that anything not recorded in the New Testament is an unwarranted “addition.” He points out that “Jesus or His apostles never taught anyone to celebrate Jesus’ Birthday.” This argument, however, is fundamentally flawed, both historically and theologically.
First, it is historically false: The earliest Christians did not believe that the faith was exhausted by the written New Testament. The apostles themselves taught “by word and by letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15). The Church’s earliest celebrations - such as the Lord’s Day, the Eucharist, the fasts and feasts - were transmitted through the living tradition of the apostles. The canon of Scripture itself was established by the Church, not the other way around.
Second, theologically, it misunderstands the nature of the Church as a living body, guided by the Holy Spirit, able to discern and celebrate the mysteries of Christ as time and circumstances require. To reduce Christianity to “what is written” is to fall into the same error condemned by Our Lord among the Pharisees, who could “search the Scriptures” but miss the presence of God standing before them (John 5:39).
The “faith once delivered to the saints” is not a frozen list of practices, format or blueprint, but the whole revealed deposit, handed down, guarded, and celebrated by the Church through every age.
5. Scripture, History, and the Life of Jesus
Mark’s chapter is filled with interesting historical conjectures about the timing of Jesus’ birth, the practical realities of travel in Palestine, and the details of Jewish family life. These reflections can indeed enrich our reading of Scripture. The Church, from her earliest days, has encouraged careful study of the biblical world, and some of Mark’s points (such as the use of guest-chambers, or the role of shepherds) are likely plausible.
However, it is essential to recognize the difference between historical probability and theological certainty. The central truth is this: Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, “in the fullness of time” (Galatians 4:4), is the fulfillment of all the promises made to Israel. Whether He was born in April or December, in the upper room or a stable, is of secondary importance. What matters is the saving truth that God has entered our world, and that we are called to respond in faith and obedience.
The “details” of Christ’s life - His circumcision, His presentation in the Temple, the visit of the Magi, the flight into Egypt - are not mere ornaments to the Gospel, but part of the mystery by which Christ “fulfilled all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15) and fully entered into our humanity. The Church has always celebrated these events, not to add to the Gospel, but to enter into the fullness of its meaning.
6. The Dignity of Mary, Joseph, and the Holy Family
Mark’s narrative often highlights the struggles, humility, and faithfulness of Mary and Joseph. This, too, is Catholic teaching: the Church has always honored the Holy Family as a model for all believers. The trials and misunderstandings they suffered, the poverty they endured, and their obedience to God’s commands are lessons for every age. Yet, let it be clear: the Catholic Church venerates Mary and Joseph; not worship. All true honor given to them points back to the glory of Christ, “the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).
7. The Role of the Magi, Prophecy, and Divine Providence
Mark’s retelling of the Magi, the star, and Herod’s rage is faithful to Scripture and acknowledges God’s providence guiding history. The Church, in her liturgy (the Feast of the Epiphany), has always honored this moment as a sign of the universality of Christ’s mission. The gold, frankincense, and myrrh are not only historical details but symbols of Christ’s kingship, divinity, and saving death - truths at the very heart of the Gospel.
The Word Becomes Flesh - In History, in the Church, in Us
Mark’s retelling of the Nativity is sincere, often moving, and solidly rooted in Scripture. But his argument reveals a core weakness: an unwillingness to trust the living Church as the authentic interpreter of the faith, and a tendency to reduce Christianity to what can be proven by historical detail or biblical literalism.
The Catholic Church alone proclaims the fullness of the Incarnation:
Not only that the Word became flesh, but that He continues to dwell among us: through the Church, in the sacraments, and in the lives of the faithful. The “faith once delivered to the saints” is not a relic of the past, but a living reality, passed on in every age, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
To truly honor the birth of Christ is not to retreat into suspicion of tradition or to wage war on the joy of Christmas, but to embrace the fullness of the faith, trusting that the same God who entered human history continues to guide and sanctify His people, even to the end of the age.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) -
not only in Bethlehem, but in the Church, which is His Body and His Bride.
